Living the College Life Gluten-Free!

Tag Archives: Russo’s New York Pizzeria

I’m excited to announce that I will be working with the newly formed Gluten Intolerance Group of Greater Houston this year! The group launched in January 2013, and will be having it’s first meeting this Sunday, August 11th. I met with the group’s founder, Ashley Smith recently, and see the group as the ideal way to increase collaboration and community among celiacs throughout all of Houston. I really encourage those with celiac to attend the meeting next week-I’m a huge proponent of finding support, and believe that interactions with those who understand and can relate to our disorders help keep us focused on maintaining a strict gluten-free diet!

I especially encourage college celiacs in the Houston area to attend as well! Unfortunately, I won’t be at this meeting (I’m back home in New York for the week), but will be helping out with group and will definitely be at the next meeting. It’s not only a great opportunity to make some gluten intolerant friends within our demographic, but will also be a chance to eat some delicious gluten-free pizza. Russo’s New York Pizzeria, located on Westheimer Road, will be hosting a GF Pizza Party. Check out my Russo’s review here (summary: it’s an incredible restaurant with delicious gluten-free options) and go check it out next week!

As a native New Yorker, and previous fan of authentic Bronx pizza (before I was diagnosed with celiac disease, of course), I’ve come to realize that it’s incredibly difficult to master the art of gluten-free pizza making. Thin crust pizza is especially challenging, and I don’t think that I have ever seen a slice of gluten-free pizza with that air bubble characteristic of a ‘glutened’ slice. And, while I am not only plagued by the endless search to find a delicious gluten-free thin crust pizza, I also spend eleven months out of the year in Houston, Texas, quite a distance away from New York.
Russo’s New York Pizzeria, however, helped bring a slice of gluten-free, New York-style pizza to Houston! I had heard of Russo’s gluten-free options during the Celiac Expo I attended in June, and decided that a Friday evening would be the perfect time to try some of their dishes. My friend and I decided to reward ourselves for surviving the hectic workweek, and visited Russo’s Galleria Area location, located on Westheimer Road.
We sampled a pasta dish and specialty pizza! Both were gluten-free of course! Here is my review of both dishes:Pizza: New York Village

The New York Village Pizza was topped with pepperoni, sausage, mushrooms, olives, peppers, Canadian bacon, hamburger meat, and mozzarella cheese! I particularly enjoyed the taste and texture of the crust; it was the perfect combination of thin and crispy. The toppings were yummy as well. So far, this is probably the best gluten-free pizza I have tasted in restaurants!

Pasta: Baked Ziti
I thought Russo’s did a fantastic job with their pasta dish! The gluten-free pasta maintained its structure, did not break, and had a flavor that matched well with the cheese and sauce. Next time I venture to Russo’s I’ll definitely be more adventurous and try a “less traditional” pasta dish; however, this gave me a great opportunity to evaluate the mechanics of this gluten-free dish.
Overall, Russo’s did a fantastic job with their gluten-free options! Personally, I think that gluten-free appetizer options would add to the overall dining experience. Something like gluten-free mozzarella sticks, or soft breadsticks would complement the rest of the meal perfectly.
Have you been to Russo’s? If so, what have you tried? If not, where do you get your gluten-free pizza? Comment below and let me know!